Did you know?
This Italian leafy vegetable, a member of the chicory family, comes in many varieties. There’s radicchio rosso di Treviso (long red and white leaves) and castelfranco (roselike shape with buff to buttery-yellow petallike leaves liberally flecked with pink). But we are most accustomed to seeing the round variety with compact heads of dark red leaves shot through the spine with white: radicchio di Chioggia.
The crisp leaves of radicchio (rah-DEEK-kee-oh) deliver a pleasant crunch and a slightly bitter flavor. Leaves grow tightly around each other, making peeling off intact pieces somewhat difficult. It’s easier to halve or quarter the heads, cut off the small, dense core, then peel off and tear the leaves or slice with a knife.
Buying tips
Grown locally during cooler months, radicchio is available year-round, thanks to California and other states. Look for deeply colored heads with no wilting or browning at leaf edges. Avoid very small heads, which may indicate age because discolored leaves may have been peeled off and discarded, according to European Vegetable Specialties, a California-based grower. Heads should be tight and firm and feel heavy for their size.
Storing hints
Wrap heads in plastic food storage bags and refrigerate. They should keep about a week.
Cooking suggestions
Radicchio lends its vivid color and welcome contrasting flavor to green salads, but that’s just the beginning. Use it in sautes, risotto and pasta dishes. Or try it grilled, perhaps our favorite preparation. In “Gastronomy of Italy,” author Anna del Conte gives a classic recipe: Place quartered heads of radicchio in a grill pan; douse with olive oil, salt and pepper. Place under a hot broiler for 10 minutes, turning to prevent burning.
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